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Thursday, 3 May 2018

DIARY OF DECORATING DILEMMA BY FIONA CUMMINGS



Wrong!

 

My Son gave me some time and went with me. Firstly, he asked the guy who worked there where the wall paper was? I thought the man was hard of hearing because there were no words.  My Son went, here? Again, no words but I did hear a laugh. My Son, this is wallpaper? Again, no words. Another laugh. Boy Wonder asked. “Do people put that on their walls?”” we waited for an answer, but nothing. He may have problems in speaking, unless he was just lost for words? I’m sure he was thinking, spot the obvious? People are so ignorant. My Son works with the public and he said he is never like that if someone asks an obvious question, he answers politely. I told him that could have something to do with the fact his parents are blind so words make a difference. He said no mum it’s just bad manners not to speak to someone when they are asking a question. I said was he using his hands/fingers to point? He replied yes and pulled a stunned face as if to say it’s in front of you, you fool.

 

I asked my Son what was the paper like? He replied. Mum, it’s awful. Like bricks and some is like piles of stones some flat concrete slab effect. I said people put that in their conservatory/kitchen/bathroom. He replied. Well, it’s hideous. Haha.

 

Bless him, we moved fast to another isle. Every colour was the same as in one isle was all blue another grey and so on. So, I said that perhaps each isle is different colours. He’s 21, he’s never decorated before, how is he supposed to know. But I hope today has been a life lesson for him.

 

Passing the   sections of greys, then blue’s and finally beige. some beige had reds in and then I found one at last, as there really wasn’t much choice. This was mushroom by description. I asked BW what colour was it? He said yes it looks like a mushroom colour, but it had lighter mushroom too and black flowers. Well our sofa, piano, shelving, wood around our white marble fireplace and our huge painting of the black and white tiger has a thick black frame. So, bingo. But how big are the flowers? And were they solid flowers or an outline? Well they are the size of your palm and outlined rather than solid black. They also have sparkles on the flowers. Great. Took it to where you mix paint. The lady asked if I knew how much I needed? I told her in feet how big our room was. 17 x 13. She said sorry I have to do it in square meters. I waited for her to convert. And I waited. Then BW asked her if she could help with that? No, sorry. So, he tried to work it out bless him and the number he said was too much as far as I knew. I called Hub who was in transit on his two hours home and he kind of worked it out in his head.  That is the first-time people/shop assistance haven’t had the ability to convert feet into square meters.  Now, the paint, there are two colours of mushroom on the paper. Light and dark. So, paint? Which shade? I picked light. Oh, heck, I hope it’s going to look OK? Moreover, I hope I have enough of it!

 

We got to the till and at last a lady who communicated and thank goodness for her. It’s been years since I bought wallpaper and the last time I did it was a proper wallpaper shop rather than a DIY shop. As in the papers were in books. And extortionately expensive. This paper was £20 per roll. My last paper six years ago was £30 and I know there will be my very rich Bloggets reading this who are thinking “That’s how much the paper costs for my weekly magazines, because I have seen paper on line for £200 per roll. Oh, my, I am sure even if I won the Lottery, I wouldn’t spend that on wallpaper. Anyway, the lady asked. “Have you checked if the paper matches?”” My boy replied yes, it’s the same both have black flowers… I forgot patterned paper has numbers. So, at the till we had one 12 and the other was 28. BW had to run back and exchange. He could only get two 28’s. I just hope the paint we got matched was from the 28?

 

And another bit of better news. I have received from a very kind lady a list of approved specialists from our council decorators/electricians/joiners/gardeners and very importantly, handy men. oh, wow blooming wow. At last I have numbers of people I know I can trust.  My gardener is great though he comes only three times per year, I have no intention of entering a gardening competition, so no need for one of those now, but I had to go through loads of gnomes to find him. And my painter is fine I’m friends with his sister in law.  But electricians and joiners as well as handy men, brilliant. Last time I paid a handy man £60 to hang up two plates on my wall and put a washing line up for me. He was here under half an hour. Most of that was the washing line. It took him five minutes to do the plates. He was good though; the nails are solid and the line is fine.  But £60? These guys are advertised for £15 per hour. That is for the handy man of course not the others. But the others are so much cheaper than who I have had in the past. My Husband laughed as one of the lists was from age concern… cheeky. He said I’m of that age now… so, I hope you don’t have to be of an age to use these people. Moreover, I hope the lady who sent me these contacts doesn’t think I’m of that age. Haha. Maybe it’s the stress of this past few weeks… just the electrics to do now and a joiner. See, we haven’t been able to close our doors downstairs properly since they were fitted by our last guy. If we open the front door, it blows the two sitting room doors open and the dogs can get into the sitting room at nights if they push the doors. So, we just want a door to well, close properly.

 

I’m waiting in for a large delivery. As soon as it comes and it’s meant to be here before 11. Am. Not pm. I’m off to help my friend move her furniture. Oh, I live such an exciting life. smile.

 

My Son went for an interview last week. His name was put forward after his last interview with the same company. He didn’t get the last job because he hadn’t been trained to be assistant manager. Not quite sure why his name was put forward for the same type of job just in a different place. He still hasn’t had the training. Well, he got to the next stage this time but again he’s up against four other people as well as himself. So, five this time last time it was ten. Three have been put to the next stage and that is today. He’s gone to work there for a couple of hours to see how he get’s on. Again, no training, not sure how he will do, but he’s a fast learner, but again, the others have had their training. So, let’s see. His boss has told him if he gets the job, he will have six weeks to train. Well the guy he works with took nine months to do his training. So, a lot on his shoulders, though I know he can do it, let’s see if the person watching him today see’s the same thing!

 

I did another couple of thousand words on my book over the past two days. It’s coming along OK. I have managed to add humour in it and I’m really pleased with that as when people have said to me in the past they can see me writing humour, I have been shocked. But more than a dozen people have told me this, so I just hope this will make my readers laugh and not just me. Haha.

 

It’s really odd when my author Bloggets are writing their books/stories, do you know the start middle and ending before you write? I didn’t have a clue of the start let alone the ending. I would say I’m in the middle right now. but I hope it’s good enough my lovely mentor has asked to see some work but I don’t feel confident with what I have written so far. My words are simple in comparison to what he is capable of, though I hope to find a paragraph to send him this week as I need his advice, he is a super brain. He’s been an amazing help and has given me a fantastic paragraph to write. Wow, his words are gripping, the way in which he writes.  If you want to read his last book he’s called Ian Mackenzie and his book which gets amazing reviews is called Clouds in The Wind.

 

Well Bloggets I guess at the end of this blog I shall just say if you are thinking about decorating, and you make a feature wall, then buy some wallpaper first as it seemed a lot easier. But a patterned paper with a different colour on top of the background then pick your paint around it. It’s great you can get any colour mixed these days so if you have bedding you can take a pillowcase for example to show they scan it and bingo you have your colour. Or a cushion on your sofa/chair, or even a rug or lampshade. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier. And if you don’t have a featured wall, then the lampshade/bedding/cushion will work or a pair of curtains. Well, one curtain will be enough. My staircase was more difficult as there are no rugs, and my light fitting is chrome and crystal and my curtains are red. I didn’t want red walls. I ended up just doing what’s called almond. It’s very light in colour, almost pail cream.

 

What a difference 24 hours can make? Thank God for our Son. Talking of Boy Wonder, he should be finished his test now and be at his normal job. He’s working till late tonight so he left the house at ten to seven this morning and will get in about eight/nine. A long day. Hub left early again at 7 am. But will be back in good time today. Then one day before two days of chilling, hopefully not as in keeping cool, as I heard we are going to have nice weather. I shall finally leave you with these words.

“One should never be the oldest thing in one’s house…”” Patsy Stone. Hmm. I don’t agree with that one as I love old clocks. But I can see where she is coming from.

“be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like, is ever out of style.”” Billy Baldwin. I love that and it’s so true. Don’t be a sheep. If you follow others, you will never get there first. Be a leader. Be yourself. Be what fits you and your lifestyle. Fiona Cummings

 

 

 

 

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